Senior US Senate Republican Thune says stop-gap bill will be needed to avoid shutdown

U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) speaks during an interview with Reuters in his office at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., September 13, 2023. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson Acquire Licensing Rights
WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (Reuters) – Republicans in the U.S. Congress will have to agree on a short-term funding measure soon if they are to avoid a government shutdown and meet their own goal of passing 12 separate appropriations bills, the No. 2 Senate Republican said on Wednesday.
That will be particularly challenging as some hard-line House Republicans are vowing to withhold votes for a stopgap, known as a